Plane crash kills family of four near Meriden

A small aircraft carrying a family of four crashed near the Jefferson County and Shawnee County lines Friday afternoon killing all four on board.

Dylan Spencer, 35, Scott City, his wife, Amy, 34, and his two daughters, Chase, 7 years old, and Ansley, 5 years old.

Spencer was a Scott County Commissioner. He was appointed to the post in 2008 to fill an unexpired term and won re-election last year. His wife was a special education teacher.

Spencer served on the Scott City Commission for more than three years and on many other community boards. He also ran a successful pest control business.

The 1973 Beechcraft Baron 58 multi-engine plane took off from Scott County at 10:30 a.m. and was headed for Philip Billard Municipal Airport in Topeka according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.

The first 911 call came in at 12:13 p.m. and police officers responded at 12:20 p.m. The Kansas Highway Patrol along with Jefferson County and Shawnee County deputies secured the scene.

The crash occurred about a half-mile south of 46th Street at about the 4200 block of K-4 Highway. The plane landed in a corn field and did not damage any homes or buildings.

Billard Airport was notified the plane had missed the approach to land. No distress calls or indications of the aircraft in trouble were made.

A homeowner on 46th Street, Sue Pater, said she was sitting in her living room watching television when she heard a loud explosion. Pater said she saw a ball of fire off the reflection in her television. At first she thought a propane tank had exploded.

Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Herrig said the plane’s wreckage was removed and transported to the county’s evidence facility.

Herrig said officials with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board responded to the scene and more investigators were en route from Texas on Monday.

As of Monday afternoon a reason for the crash still had not been determined.